◉ March Madness 2026

NCAA Tournament
Bracket 2026

Full 68-team bracket · Selection Sunday March 15 · Final Four April 4–6 in Indianapolis

The 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament (March Madness) features 68 teams in a single-elimination bracket organized into 4 regions: South, East, West, and Midwest. Seeds 1–16 per region. Selection Sunday is March 15, 2026 at 6 PM ET on CBS — the full bracket is revealed then. The First Four play-in games are March 17–18. The Round of 64 begins March 19. The Final Four is April 4–5 at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis. The National Championship is April 6, 2026, also at Lucas Oil Stadium. Full schedule & venues →

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Bracket Revealed March 15

Selection Sunday is March 15, 2026 at 6 PM ET on CBS. The full 68-team bracket — all seeds, regions, and first-round matchups — will be announced live. This page will update immediately.

2026 Tournament Bracket Rounds

RoundDatesTeamsGamesNotes
First FourMarch 17–1868411 & 16 seeds
Round of 64March 19–226432All seeds
Round of 32March 22–233216All seeds
Sweet 16March 27–28168All seeds
Elite EightMarch 29–3084All seeds
Final FourApril 4–542Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
ChampionshipApril 621Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

2026 Bracket Regions & Seeds

The bracket is divided into 4 regions. Each region has 16 seeds (1–16). The #1 seed plays #16, #2 plays #15, etc. Teams revealed March 15 at 6 PM ET on CBS.

South Region
#1TBDvsTBD#16
#8TBDvsTBD#9
#5TBDvsTBD#12
#4TBDvsTBD#13
#6TBDvsTBD#11
#3TBDvsTBD#14
#7TBDvsTBD#10
#2TBDvsTBD#15
East Region
#1TBDvsTBD#16
#8TBDvsTBD#9
#5TBDvsTBD#12
#4TBDvsTBD#13
#6TBDvsTBD#11
#3TBDvsTBD#14
#7TBDvsTBD#10
#2TBDvsTBD#15
West Region
#1TBDvsTBD#16
#8TBDvsTBD#9
#5TBDvsTBD#12
#4TBDvsTBD#13
#6TBDvsTBD#11
#3TBDvsTBD#14
#7TBDvsTBD#10
#2TBDvsTBD#15
Midwest Region
#1TBDvsTBD#16
#8TBDvsTBD#9
#5TBDvsTBD#12
#4TBDvsTBD#13
#6TBDvsTBD#11
#3TBDvsTBD#14
#7TBDvsTBD#10
#2TBDvsTBD#15

Teams and matchups revealed on Selection Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 6 PM ET on CBS.

Notable March Madness Upsets (Recent History)

Bracket busters happen every year. These are the biggest upsets from recent tournaments to inform your 2026 picks.

YearUpset WinnerDefeatedRound
2024#11 NC State#1 MarylandFirst Round
2024#14 Oakland#3 KentuckyFirst Round
2023#15 Princeton#2 ArizonaFirst Round
2023#13 Furman#4 VirginiaFirst Round
2022#15 Saint Peter's#2 KentuckyFirst Round (went to Elite 8)
2021#15 Oral Roberts#2 Ohio StateFirst Round
2018#16 UMBC#1 VirginiaFirst Round (1st ever #16 over #1)

How to Fill Out Your 2026 Bracket

Pick all #1 seeds to the Final Four
#1 seeds make the Final Four about 40% of the time (10+ appearances per seed historically). All four #1 seeds reaching the Final Four is rare but not impossible — it happened in 2008.
Always pick at least one #12 over #5 upset
#12 vs #5 is one of the most reliable upset matchups. At least one #12 seed has won in 28 of the last 35 tournaments. No bracket is complete without one.
Don't pick more than two #1 seeds in the Championship
Only twice in tournament history have two #1 seeds faced each other in the championship. Picking a #2 or #3 seed as champion gives you a differentiated bracket.
Avoid picking your favorite team too far
Bracket contests are won by correctly predicting late-round games. Picking emotional favorites over statistical favorites is the most common bracket-busting mistake.
Check conference tournament results before finalizing
Teams that won their conference tournament are hot and healthy. Teams that lost early — especially top seeds — may be carrying injuries or fatigue into the NCAA Tournament.

March Madness Bracket 2026 FAQ

When is Selection Sunday 2026?
Selection Sunday 2026 is March 15. The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee reveals the full 68-team bracket at 6 PM ET on CBS. All seeds, regions, and first-round matchups are announced at once.
How does the March Madness bracket work?
The NCAA Tournament uses a single-elimination bracket of 68 teams, organized into 4 regions: South, East, West, and Midwest. Seeds run 1–16 per region (with First Four play-in games to fill the 11 and 16 seed slots). Teams advance until one team wins the National Championship.
What are the Final Four dates in 2026?
The 2026 Final Four is April 4–5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The two national semifinal games are played on April 4 and April 5. The National Championship is April 6 at the same venue.
Where is the 2026 NCAA Championship game?
The 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship Game is at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana on Monday, April 6, 2026.
How many teams are in the 2026 NCAA Tournament?
68 teams qualify for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The First Four narrows the field to 64 teams for the main bracket, starting with the Round of 64 on March 19.
What are the 4 regions in the 2026 bracket?
The 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket has 4 regions: South, East, West, and Midwest. Each region has 16 seeds (1–16). The Final Four brings together the winners of all 4 regions at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
When does the Sweet 16 start in 2026?
The 2026 Sweet 16 is March 27–28. Eight games are played over two days, with eight teams advancing to the Elite Eight on March 29–30.
Who won March Madness in 2025?
Florida won the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, defeating Houston in the National Championship Game. It was Florida's third national title. The 2025 Final Four was held in San Antonio, Texas.
Where can I fill out a bracket for free?
You can fill out a free 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket at NCAA.com, ESPN Tournament Challenge, Yahoo Sports Bracket, CBS Sports Bracket Games, and many other sports sites. Brackets open after Selection Sunday on March 15.
What seed has the best record in March Madness history?
The #1 seed has the best record in March Madness history, winning 47% of all national championships. #1 seeds are 153-7 in the first round all-time (a perfect record was broken in 2018 when UMBC upset Virginia). The #2, #3, and #4 seeds also win championships regularly.

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